Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has declared a 10-year break from politics.
This comes as he also announced that he will withdraw a case he filed stopping Nairobi’s next month gubernatorial by-election to allow those seeking the position to battle it out.
“I will stay away from politics for 10 years since people say God’s time is the best. Even when Uhuru failed in 2002 he waited until 2013. Nairobi is bigger than anyone," Sonko said on Saturday.
"Because Nairobi is big and it needs a leader, I’m ready to withdraw the case for people to elect their own chosen Governor.”
Speaking in Makueni on Saturday during the burial ceremony of James Ngui Ndambuki, uncle to Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr in Makueni County, Sonko warned against political machinations aimed at circumventing the by-election and vet deputy governor nominee Anne Mwenda Kananu.
The former governor maintained that he withdrew Kananu’s name for deputy governor nominee as well as the by-election to allow those seeking the position to battle it out.
“It is a must for Nairobi residents to get the Governor they want. Not to bring in someone who was elected which is not lawful. They need to go for a by-election and elect the person whom they love through the ballot,” he added.
On January 9, 2020, Sonko nominated Kananu to deputize him in a letter addressed to former assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi saying the decision was in line with article 180(5) of the Constitution and the Supreme Court Advisory of March 9, 2018.
The move came after Polycarp Igathe resigned from the Deputy Governor's position in January 2018.
The County Assembly has set next week Friday to have Kananu vetted by the Appointments Committee.
After vetting, the appointment committee will proceed to report writing and table it before the assembly for the MCAs to either reject or approve.
On January 22, 2020, the High Court declined to issue orders stopping the county assembly from vetting Kananu for the DG’s position.
It was the same day her name was tabled in the assembly and committed to the appointment committee.
At this point, IEBC Nairobi County returning Officer Joseph Eroo had cleared and handed over the clearance certificate to Kananu paving way for her vetting as per the guidelines, paving the way from her vetting.
He also revealed that Acting Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu had confirmed that Kananu was a member of the Jubilee Party and the sequence of clearance was not a worrying issue.
"Ours is to confirm that the nominee belongs to the same party and the Registrar of Political Parties can confirm, which was done that Kananu belongs to Jubilee Party,' Eroo said.